Kahne Will Be Ready for Daytona Following Knee Surgery

Posted Saturday, February 11; Source - Team Communications

Kasey Kahne (left) with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon during January's pre-season testing at Daytona...(photo-Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will be ready for the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout, the Feb. 26 Daytona 500 and all of Daytona Speedweeks after undergoing successful outpatient knee surgery this morning.

Kahne, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, had an MRI Thursday after experiencing swelling in his left knee. The MRI revealed a torn meniscus, which was treated this morning with a partial medial meniscus removal. Following the common arthroscopic procedure, he was released from an outpatient facility in Charlotte, N.C.

Kahne will practice, qualify and race throughout NASCAR's season-opening Speedweeks, and Hendrick Motorsports has no plans to have a backup driver on standby in Daytona Beach, Fla.

In April 2011, Kahne had a procedure on his right meniscus and earned a third-place finish the following race at Richmond, Va.